The invention relates generally to the field of electronic message communications and in particular video message communications. More particularly this invention relates to the capture by an electronic video recording device of a 360° panoramic video image and the simultaneous assembly of a 360° panoramic zoetropic video image intended for distribution across social network and social messaging services.
Devices and methods for the capture of still and video images are ubiquitous; however, there are fewer tools for users of social networks and social messaging services to quickly create in real-time edited video assemblages for transmission and sharing; further still, the current state of the art lacks, inter alia, a method that guides a user to capture a 360° panoramic video image and that simultaneously assembles in real-time a compressed zoetropic video image from said 360° panoramic video image which simulates the kinetic energy of the user's environment and surroundings in a near-seamless 360° panoramic, zoetropic video image that allows for immediate transmission by the user to both social networks and via social messaging services.
A social network service is an online service, platform or site that facilitates the building and maintenance of social relations among individuals. A social network service typically will allow each member of such social network service to maintain a profile with user information and user posts which may be comments, photos, videos and the like. Social messaging services facilitate communication between individuals by providing for the transmission and exchange of messages, including as part thereof, photos, videos and the like. Posts within a profile located on a social network or messages sent via a social messaging service may be from the users or from persons/individuals that the user is affiliated with in the social network or more generally posted and/or transmitted by and/or to the general public. In this way social network sites and social messaging services allow users to share ideas, activities, events and interests with affiliated individuals and the general public.
The popularity and ubiquity of both social network services and social messaging services has created a demand for new ways for users of both to easily create, present and share in real-time information including still and video images of themselves, i.e., “selfies”, and still and video images that capture their life experiences, friends and family, travel, interests, activities and the like.
Accordingly, improved techniques for the communication and sharing of information through video images are desirable.